Angels in the BIG Apple

AUTHOR: KAT JAYME

This past March I was in New York to film two feature films I’m currently directing: The Grizzlie Truth about Vancouver’s first and only NBA team, and Game 7 about the 2011 Vancouver hockey riots. Both films have subjects who live in New York, so my crew and I (along with our 14 bags of equipment!) flew down to film some interviews. It was surreal to be filming in New York because of these two dream projects. However, the one thing I learned was how stressful it is to film in Manhattan! Not only because of all the equipment we needed to load/unload from the busy streets, but parking was near impossible to find. That said, the shoots went amazingly.

While I was there I was able to meet up with some other Angels. Vikki Kam ‘12 and I connected a few months prior. Vikki works for the NBA in NYC and is part of their Global Business Development team. After graduating from University of Toronto, she started working at the NBA’s Canadian office in Toronto but then was transferred to the NBA’s NYC office, where she’s been for almost three years. Although Vikki loves all 30 NBA teams, she has a soft spot for the Toronto Raptors and the Miami Heat (I'm working on getting her to love the Grizzlies too!). Vikki invited me and my entire team to pick an NBA game to watch in New York. I had never watched a Brooklyn Nets game before so getting to experience that was so special. Even more special because another LFA grad joined us! Niki Non '14 who recently made the move to NYC attended the game too. Niki and I go way back as I coached her Junior basketball team when she was in Grade 9! This team was one of my absolute favourites to coach so it was so great to catch up with Niki after all these years. Niki just moved to New York two months ago for a new job. She is a UI/UX designer and designs digital products and experiences. Niki, Vikki, and I had a great time connecting and reminiscing about our days at LFA. There are so many more Angels in the Big Apple doing incredible things and we hope to meet up again (with even more grads) the next time we’re all in the city.

Grizzlies superfan and LFA alumna Kat Jayme '06 is back, exploring the mysterious departure of the Vancouver Grizzlies. Giving students some behind the scenes access no less! But no spoilers from us.

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